Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification technology that utilizes radio frequency electromagnetic fields to identify objects having RFID tags mounted thereto. When an RFID reader is within a particular range of an RFID tag, information from the RFID tag is transmitted to the RFID reader. A typical RFID tag includes an antenna that transmits information from the RFID tag to the RFID reader. Data is stored on a microchip of the RFID tag.
An RFID tag may store various types of information related to an item to which the RFID is attached or otherwise associated. Such information may include part commissioning data, an electronic product code, a part number, a cage code, manufacturer information, a serial number, a date of manufacture, and the like, as well as part records, such as a calibration date, a revision date, and the like. RFID tags allow information regarding components to be automatically gathered by an RFID reader, without the need for individuals to particularly inspect each component. As such, RFID tags allow for efficient and convenient tracking of components.
At the same time, security is of utmost importance to various entities, such as the military, various government agencies, financial institutions, and, indeed, even individuals who carry credit cards, for example. However, an emission signature of an RFID tag may undesirably expose the component to which the RFID tag is secured and/or information stored on the RFID tag. For example, an RFID tag mounted to a component of a military fighter jet may emit a distinct electromagnetic signature that may be tracked by an adversary. Further, an RFID tag on a credit card may emit an electromagnetic signature, along with information that may be intercepted by unscrupulous individuals.
All of the above must be balanced by the fact that various manufacturing and tracking processes would be complicated and prolonged without the use of RFID tags. For example, during a build process, quality assurance validation, and/or verification process for an aircraft, individuals would need to manually inspect hand written data and/or scan barcodes of various components if RFID tags were not used. As can be appreciated, such manual inspection would be labor and time intensive for various products, such as commercial and military aircraft.